Tension
by VivalaB
Summary: Oneshot. Alex and Olivia clash over a warrant concerning a missing six year old. Liz Donnelly makes a guest appearance in this tale.


**Disclaimer:**The characters from SVU belong to Dick Wolf and the powers that be at NBC.

**A/N: **Almost finished The Cabot Cabin and had this in my head, this is for the folk on the **Yahoo Group**. Thank you for all your support and feedback. Chapter 16 will be up tomorrow and then we embark on the third and final part of the **Deja Vu **trilogy!

**Tension**

**By VivalaB**

"How much _more_ do you want Alex?" Olivia Benson grumbled.

Alex Cabot removed her glasses and placed them neatly on her desk, "I _want_," she enunciated clearly, "Enough probable cause to ask a Judge for a search warrant and not look like a first year law student," she said tersely.

Olivia stared at her, hands tucked into the pockets of her leather coat as she paced anxiously in front of the Assistant District Attorney.

Alex studied her closely, noticing the deep frown lines at her forehead and the deep circles under her eyes, "Liv, I know this case is tough but I need more than your gut feeling to validate a warrant," she said calmly.

Olivia stopped pacing and faced her, "A six year old little girl is missing. The Stepfather has a rap sheet as long as my arm for aggravated assault, the mother is too terrified to say anything and yet…" she removed her hands, placing them on the desk and leaned forward, looking directly at Alex, "_You_ want more….I tell you what _Counselor_, let's give them enough time to kill her, dispose of her body and destroy as much evidence as they can before we try to help that innocent victim," she spat out.

Alex stood up angrily, "How dare you…how dare you imply I don't care about the victims, _detective…_you're not the only one who gets frustrated. Instead of yelling at me, why don't you go and canvas the neighborhood..._again,_" she said loudly as Olivia attempted to interrupt.

"God forbid you come down from your _ivory tower_ into the real world, princess," Olivia retorted.

"_Are you two almost done because as much as I'm enjoying this floor show, I have court in fifteen minutes,"_Judge Donnelly said from the open doorway.

Alex swallowed and smiled weakly at her old boss as Olivia gave a slight nod in greeting.

"I caught most of that," she said looking at Olivia, "I wouldn't give you a warrant based on what little you've got Olivia…Alex is right, go back and ask the neighbors if they've seen or heard anything…if they have, I'll issue your warrant," she said sternly.

Olivia nodded.

Liz looked between them both, "Your arguing reminds me of my second husband," she said, shaking her head.

"Before the divorce?" asked Alex.

"_Before the sex,"_ Liz answered knowingly, as she headed down the hallway.

Olivia and Alex stared at the empty doorway in shock.

Olivia cleared her throat, "I'm sorry, I didn't me-"

"It's okay," Alex interrupted, cutting her off.

Olivia looked at her and nodded, "I'll go see what the neighbors have to say," she said, moving towards the door.

"Liv"

Olivia stopped, turning to face her.

"If I don't answer the _ivory tower _phone, you can get me on my cell," she quipped sarcastically before lifting her glasses and settling them back on her face.

Olivia groaned inwardly and nodded.

Alex stood beside Olivia as they watched Elliot through the one way glass of the interrogation room as he interviewed their prime suspect.

"C'mon Stabler, give him the rope he needs to hang himself," Alex muttered impatiently.

Olivia frowned, "Elliot knows what he's doing, you want a confession don't you," she snapped.

Alex exhaled loudly, "It's a weak arrest Liv and you know it, if Elliot can't get him to confess to kidnapping his stepdaughter and give up her location, we'll need to cut him loose," she replied flatly.

"He'll get it," Olivia said confidently, turning to look at her.

Alex smiled, "I know," she answered honestly.

Their eyes locked for a few seconds longer before their attention was drawn back to the glass as the suspect broke down and confessed everything to Elliot. After a few minutes Elliot left the room and looked at Olivia, "We need to move, we don't have much time," he said, nodding at Alex.

Alex sat behind her desk, writing the motions for her next arraignment when her door slowly opened and an arm appeared, waving a white handkerchief. She smiled at the gesture of truce before inviting Olivia into the office.

Olivia entered and nodded her head towards the white cloth, "I come in peace," she said meekly.

Alex snorted, "For how long though," she answered honestly.

Olivia frowned as she sat down in the chair across from Alex, "Look…we both care passionately about our jobs, we've always clashed, always had strong beliefs that we're right…even when we _may_ have been wrong," she admitted.

"You're saying _you_ were wrong?" Alex asked, raising her eyebrows.

Olivia shrugged, "I'm saying I'm sorry," she said quietly.

Alex looked at her, "Nobody else talks to me the way you do," she said, holding her gaze.

Olivia squirmed under the intense scrutiny, "I know…I'm sorry," she said, sighing.

"How is she?" Alex asked referring to the little girl.

Olivia smiled, "Hungry and hypothermic but we got an emergency removal so she'll be looked after," she said smiling.

Alex nodded, "The stepfather is looking at ten years minimum and the mother a suspended sentence, if she enters counseling. He's beaten her up and abused her for God only knows how long, with the right care she can be a good mother again," she said.

Olivia shook her head, "I don't understand the world sometimes, if I had a child…"she trailed off, closing her eyes to rid her mind of painful memories.

"If you had a child, he or she would feel like they'd won the Mom lottery," Alex supplied honestly.

Olivia opened her eyes, "You think?"

"I know," she replied quietly.

They looked at each other for a long moment.

"You make me nervous," Olivia confessed quietly.

Alex furrowed her brow, "Me? Make you nervous? Um, hello…I think you'll find that's the other way round," she said, shaking her head.

Olivia smiled, "I make you nervous?"

Alex bobbed her head gently.

Olivia noticed the rising flush on pale skin, "Do you um, wanna go for dinner or a drink or anything that doesn't involve work wit me sometime?" she asked hesitantly.

Alex bobbed her head again.

Olivia leaned forward in her seat, "Would you like to do that tonight?" she asked quietly as the blonde head bobbed once more in response.

They smiled shyly at each other before Alex bit her bottom lip, "You make me mad sometimes…no, a lot of the time," she said grinning.

"When I hear your heels click across the floor of the squad room…I feel like I'm getting ready for battle," Olivia answered.

Alex laughed, "When you're yelling at me and you're standing so close…I…I…"

"Me too," Olivia whispered, feeling her cheeks flush.

"_Really?"_

Olivia nodded, "I love it when you sit on my desk," she admitted, shifting her gaze to Alex's open blouse.

Alex felt a familiar flutter in her stomach, "I love it when you run your hand through your hair," she countered.

Olivia subconsciously ran her right hand through her hair and watched as Alex followed the movement.

Alex rose form her chair behind the desk and approached the seated brunette, she perched on the edge of her desk and crossed her long, lean legs at the ankles.

Olivia's dark eyes trailed form her feet to her hips, enjoying the modest split in the skirt, revealing toned thighs, "I love the way you fold your arms," she said, looking into twinkling blue eyes.

Alex smiled, "Are we going to continue this mutual appreciation detective, or would you rather kiss me?" she asked boldly.

Olivia tapped her chin with her finger, pretending to consider her options, Alex laughed and pushed off the desk.

"Oh well, back to the grind," she said, turning away.

Olivia stood swiftly and reached for her arm, urging her to turn round, she smiled and moved closer, "This isn't going to be easy is it?" she whispered.

"Would you want it any other way?" Alex breathed out as her hands moved inside Olivia's jacket, resting on her hips.

Olivia shook her head before placing a delicate kiss on Alex's mouth.

Alex pressed her lips to Olivia's and parted her lips, allowing their mouths to meld together in a tender, exploratory kiss.

Hands moved as they embraced each other, kissing slowly but thoroughly.

Liz Donnelly stopped in the open doorway and smiled, _"Definitely like my second husband,"_ she said quietly as she closed the door.

_The end_

Thanks for reading.


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